FDI bill passed using CBI pressure: Kejriwal

Alleging the Congress led UPA government won the FDI vote in parliament by using "CBI pressure" on some parties, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal Saturday said the decision should have been taken through a referendum.

"The foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail should have been decided through a referendum. The way the parties have behaved in parliament was very unfortunate," Kejriwal told mediapersons on the sidelines of Pan-IIT global meet here.

"The way the parties voted in parliament, it was definitely not on the basis of merit. It was completely on the basis of CBI pressure that was brought upon on certain parties...I think it was a critical issue and it should have been brought under referendum," he pointed out.

Kejriwal, the bureaucrat-turned-politician who has recently launched his party, said: "There has been a lot of questions on FDI in retail and a proper debate on the issue did not take place."

Kejriwal said there has been a big question mark on the central government's claim that FDI in retail will be good for the country's farmers.

"But there has been a huge job loss wherever Wal Mart had entered, even in the US," he said.

He said a list could be made on the issues where there ought to be a referendum to take opinion of the people.